Editing Fisher Fine Arts Library (section)

== Reading Room ==

The reading room constitutes the building's most impressive space, its exposed iron structure, brick walls, and overhead lighting creating an atmosphere of serious study. The room's height and scale evoke great libraries of earlier centuries while expressing contemporary construction honestly. Iron columns and trusses remain visible rather than concealed behind applied finishes, demonstrating structural systems while supporting the room's practical functions. Natural light enters through clerestory windows and skylights, supplemented by fixtures that provide illumination for evening study.<ref name="thomas"/>

The reading room's design reflects Furness's belief that architecture should serve and inspire simultaneously. Students working in the space experience both practical accommodation and architectural quality that elevates scholarly activity. The room's materials—brick, iron, wood—require minimal maintenance while aging gracefully, their surfaces acquiring character that new construction cannot replicate. The space continues serving scholarly purposes over a century after completion, its design proving both durable and adaptable.<ref name="lewis"/>